Exponential smoothing techniques are simple, accurate and easy to understand demand forecasting techniques. This article is the second in a series of articles that demonstrate some popular forecasting techniques.

There is a wide variety of forecasting techniques. How do we choose among them? This article introduces the topic and focuses on the mean absolute deviation (MAD) method, providing some numerical examples.

The increased competition and sophistication of consumer demand has forced companies to optimize operations. The company’s agility in response to consumer demand is key to its success, and the ability to predict the demand is critical for effective supply chain management. This article is the first in a series of four articles that outline popular techniques of forecasting demand, designed to meet the needs of both the student and the logistics professional. Purchasesmarte.com also provides some free hands-on utilities for experiencing these techniques.